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kiwiknitter's blog

How lucky we stranded knitters are lately! Three new technique books in about as many months. The latest is “Knitting with Two Colors: Techniques for Stranded Knitting and Designing Color-Patterned Garments” by Meg Swanson & Amy Detjen, published by Schoolhouse Press. For those of you who might not know, Meg Swanson is the daughter of the late great Elizabeth Zimmermann and is a knitting giant in her own right.

Here is another men knitting YouTube video I think you can all relate to. This video certainly brought back lots of memories when I was beginning to learn to knit. I can remember being as awkward and clueless in the early days; it just doesn't show the many times I threw the bloody knitting mess across the room! I think I could have named this “I laughed. I cried.” The funny thing is that I still look this way when I'm learning some new knitting technique – fumbling, hesitant, not really comprehending the instructions and then, throwing it across the room.

This evening I came to the place of knitting the heel flap on the socks I'm knitting. I decided I was too tired to start it so I passed some time looking through Google. I came across this YouTube video about a man knitter in the US. I enjoyed it a lot and wanted to share it with others. I think that Warren is a great representative for us guy knitters. Have a look and enjoy!

Great news for Fair Isle enthusiasts! I just discovered that the old Starmore book has been reprinted and is now available. I'm happy about this but there is a certain sting remembering how much I paid for my then out-of-print copy!

I think this is the very best book on stranded colour work technique ever.

This week I finally received the newly released book "200 Fair Isle Motifs - A Knitter's Directory" by Mary Jane Mucklestone, a well-known knitter and designer. The book, published by Interweave Press, has 208 pages and is printed on glossy paper with page after page of colour photographs. It is divided into three sections: the first is "Essential Skills" which covers areas from yarn selection to finishing and blocking. Designing your own garment is also included here. The largest section is "Motif Directory" with its 200 designs.

I've been internet shopping lately (the only way to get good knitting supplies for us in NZ) and I came across this wonderful yarn holder; it's great for those who knit both socks at the same time (which I do). The promo advertisement says it can also be used for fair isle knitting but that would be useful only if there were only two colours used in the project. The ad say it is good for Intarsia but I don't see how that would work very well. I think it should have been marketed to the sock knitting community. I love the colour and pattern I selected.

I've been on the waiting list on amazon.com for Alice Starmore's newest book to be released. It was late to become available but finally I got my copy this past week. I hold her in high esteem for her beautiful Fair Isle knitting patterns. Her definitive book “Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting” is probably my most treasured knitting reference books (and not because I had to pay a small fortune for the out-of-print book). The two books are dissimilar in two basic ways. The first book is more of an instructional manual.

I just got an email that Patternworks is having a sale on all their needles - 15% off. This includes the interchangeable sets. I thought I'd alert the MWK members as there may be some who are looking to add or upgrade their needles.

Last February, my Hunny-Bunny and I celebrated our 30th anniversary (I am sooo old). I asked him what he wanted as a gift and he replied that he wanted me to knit a cardie for him. But, it was to be over-sized so he could wear it over his sweatshirt and flannel shirts while working in the garden.

I have knitted all my socks in Regia brand yarn. I like the way it knits up; I can always get the guage to make socks which consistently fit me. These socks are durable and have a long life. All of our yarn shops were munted in the June earthquake so I've lost my Regia supplier. The only way to obtain some more is via the internet. Today, I went to a small haberdashery in town and it carries Opal which is also a German brand. It looks ok but I wonder how it knits up. I have no experience with it.